# What Is A Pier Foundation? > Wondering what a pier foundation is? If so, don't hit that back button because you've landed on the right page. Schedule a free evaluation with Dalinghaus. _Brian Dalinghaus ยท 2022-11-17_ Video: [Pros and Cons of Pier and Beam Foundations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RqZOc6S8JA) --- Wondering what a pier foundation is? If so, don't hit that back button because you've landed on the right page. This article will cover what a pier foundation is, how pier foundations are built, their pros and cons, and more. ## What Is a Pier Foundation? A pier foundation is a foundation that lifts a structure off the ground creating a space underneath. You've probably seen houses near bodies of water raised high on piers. They look kind of like they're sitting on a deck. Those are pier foundations. They protect homes from flooding and the rising tide. However, pier foundations aren't just for structures near water... [Watch our video of crawl space repairs on a historic home on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wx00IJB2FQ). When walls enclose the space underneath a pier foundation, it becomes [[post:what-is-a-raised-foundation|a crawl space foundation]], a type of pier foundation that sits between 18 inches and 3 feet off the ground. Until the 1960s, crawl space foundations were popular in the US. Although they aren't as popular as they once were, they're still being built today. Homeowners like pier foundations because they offer easy access to the home's plumbing and wiring. Older pier foundations were built with wooden piers. Today, concrete piers are more popular. Pier foundations are well-suited to regions with [[sign:foundation-repair/expansive-soil|expansive soil]] because a structure sitting on a pier foundation is less affected by soil conditions and soil movement. Our team working in the crawl space of a historic home in Riverside, California: ![Dalinghaus crew member with a headlamp checking a steel support jack in the crawl space of a historic home](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-2.webp) ## Pros of a Pier Foundation The pros of a pier foundation include the following: - Easy access to plumbing and wiring for repairs and maintenance - The raised foundation protects the structure from water damage. - The floor is more comfortable to walk on because there's a small amount of give. - Repairs to pier foundations are usually relatively easy. For example, you don't need to break up a concrete slab to access a broken plumbing pipe. ## Cons of a Pier Foundation The cons of a pier foundation include the following: - If there's poor drainage around the foundation or problematic soil, the piers could settle into the ground. If this happens, you could notice uneven floors and other problems. However, this problem is not unique to pier foundations. Foundations of all types can experience settlement. - Problems could also develop if the piers are spaced too far apart or if they're too small. - Wooden piers could develop wood rot. If this happens, it could affect the building's structural integrity. However, most pier foundations today are built using concrete piers. - Wood-eating pests like termites can affect the wooden structures in a crawl space, rodents with dangerous droppings are attracted to dark, damp areas like crawl spaces. - A crawl space's dirt floor allows [[sign:crawl-space-repair/moisture|moisture vapor in the soil]] to enter the crawl space and cause mold to grow. This is a problem because a percentage of air in the crawl space flows into the home's living area via the stack effect. If the air is full of mold, this could aggravate allergies and cause respiratory issues for anyone living in the home. ![Foundation inspection in a crawl space, with an inspector in protective coveralls and a respirator holding a flashlight](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-3.webp) ## How Is a Pier Foundation Repaired? How [[service:crawl-space-repair/pier-and-beam|a pier foundation is repaired]] depends, of course, on what's wrong with it. For example, are the piers settling into the soil, or is the perimeter wall experiencing settlement? Perhaps the problem isn't settlement but deteriorated screw jacks. Here are a few possible repair solutions: ### Push Piers [[solution:foundation-repair/push-piers|Heavy-duty steel push piers]] are the most common method for repairing foundation damage caused by settlement. Brackets are attached to the bottom of the foundation, and then the piers are driven into the ground by a hydraulic ram until they reach load-bearing soil. After the piers are in place, the foundation is raised via a synchronized hydraulic lifting system. Underpinning a foundation using push piers is a fast and minimally-invasive procedure. ![Push pier lifting a foundation, with a hydraulic ram mounted on a steel pier bracket in an excavated hole](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-4.webp) ### Helical Piers Helical piers are often used for new construction projects requiring a deep foundation system. However, they're also used to repair lightweight structures experiencing foundation settlement. They're [[post:how-helical-piers-work|shaped like corkscrews]] and turned into the soil to the necessary depth and torque specified by a geotechnical engineer. Once they're in place, synchronized hydraulic jacks raise the structure. ![Steel helical pier with two helix plates being screwed into an excavated hole beside a home](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-5.jpg) ### Crawl Space Support Jacks Sometimes, what seems like a foundation problem with a pier foundation is really an issue with [[solution:crawl-space-repair/crawl-space-jacks|deteriorated screw jacks]] in the crawl space. Symptoms include a floor that feels spongy when you walk on it and furniture that shakes when you walk by. Fixing this problem often involves using the existing pier locks and simply removing and replacing the screw jacks. ## Signs There Might Be a Problem With a Pier Foundation Signs there might be a problem with a pier foundation include, but aren't limited to, the following: - Uneven floors - Floors that feel spongy when you walk on them - Windows and doors that don't open and close properly - Wall cracks - Floor cracks - Ceiling cracks - Torn or wrinkled wallpaper (There might be a cracked wall behind the wallpaper) - Ceilings and floors that are separating from the walls - Moldings that are separating from the ceiling and wall - [[sign:foundation-repair/stair-step-cracks|Stair step cracks in brick]] or masonry - Leaning chimneys or porches ![Stair step crack running through the mortar joints of a brick wall](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-6.webp) If you see any of the above, or anything else that seems suspicious, contact an **[[silo:foundation-repair|experienced foundation repair contractor]]** in your area right away for an evaluation. ![Homeowner looking at a wide crack where an interior wall is pulling away from a door frame](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-7.webp) ## How to Prevent Problems With Your Pier Foundation Since most foundation problems are caused by water, getting groundwater around your pier foundation under control is the best way to prevent issues. Here are a few ways you can do that: ### Keep Vegetation, Flowers, Shrubs, Trees, Etc., Away From the Foundation. Yes, they look pretty planted next to the foundation. However, when you water them, you'll be adding water to the soil around the foundation, and this is what you don't want to do. ![Landscaping with flower beds planted behind stacked stone walls and steps](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-8.webp) ### Keep Your Gutters Free of Debris. [Clogged gutters can cause runoff](https://extensionpubs.unl.edu/publication/g2186/na/html/view) to spill over the side of the house and soak the ground around the foundation. ![Gloved hand clearing leaves and debris out of a clogged gutter system](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-9.webp) ### Regrade Your Yard so That It Slopes Away From Your Home. If the yard slopes toward your home, water will drain toward the foundation and soak the soil around it. ### Use Downspout Extensions to [[solution:crawl-space-repair/downspout-extensions|carry water at least four feet]] away from the foundation before releasing it. ![Hands fitting a white PVC downspout pipe section to a gutter system on a stone clad wall](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-10.webp) ### Install an Underground Downspout and Bubbler Pot (Also Called a Pop-up Emitter). Runoff from gutters flows into the underground downspout and toward the bubbler pot situated around 10 feet away from the foundation. When the pot fills with water, it pops up and releases the water away from the foundation. ### Install a Drain Tile System. Nothing beats a drain tile system when it comes to preventing excess moisture from building up in the soil around a foundation. There are exterior and interior drain tile systems, and most new homes built today include one. However, they can also be installed in existing homes. ![Pavers and drain: a black grated channel drain set into stone pavers to carry rainwater away](/assets/blog/what-is-a-pier-foundation-11.webp) If you believe your home might have a foundation problem and you're in our [[page:service-area|service area in Southern California]] and Arizona contact us today for a free evaluation. No hidden fees or pushy sales tactics, and we'll contact you within 24 hours. ## Schedule a Free Evaluation Foundation movement is easier to judge in person than from a photo. [Schedule a free evaluation](/contact-us/) and a Dalinghaus specialist will walk the property with you and explain what the evidence shows.